31 March 2013 Edition

20th anniversary of Castlerock atrocity remembered

‘Being stopped as a work squad by the RUC on the way to Castlerock became a frequent event leading up to the killings’

THERE WAS standing room only in Gulladuff Community Centre
in County Derry on Saturday night, 23 March, when 200 people gathered to
remember the victims of an indiscriminate murder attack by unionist gunmen —
working in direct collusion with British state forces — in Castlerock on the
morning of Thursday 25 March 1993. The attack left four workmen dead and one man
fighting for his life.

Proceedings began with one minute of silence being observed
in remembrance of the deceased: James McKenna (age 52), Maghera; Gerry
Dalrymple (58), Rasharkin; Noel O’Kane (20), Swatragh; and IRA Volunteer Jimmy
Kelly (25), Maghera. Slaughtneil man Gerry McEldowney, the only survivor among
the workers who travelled together from south Derry to Castlerock that morning,
joined those gathered in the respectful act of remembrance.

The commemorative event recalled how, on a bright sunny morning
in 1993, the idyllic setting of Castlerock was shattered as an armed gang of
pro-British forces opened up on a van with five construction workers on board.

A commemorative booklet recalls the attack:

“As their work van pulled into Gortree Park, Castlerock,
around 9am, the engine was still running when a blue Ford Transit pulled up at
full speed. At least two gunmen
opened fire with five automatic revolvers from point-blank range. Given no
chance to escape at such close range, all five workers were cut down inside the
van. The nature of the shooting suggested that one or more of the assassins had
received military training in the use of weapons.”

Fr Kieran O’Doherty, speaking after administering the Last
Rites, said:

“The contrast between the beautiful sunny day in Castlerock
and the horror of the men lying dead could not be more dreadful. Many of the
residents of Castlerock have moved here to retire, for peace and quiet. Their tranquility was shattered in the
most brutal way this morning.”

In the commemorative booklet, the issue of collusion is
illustrated in the killings at Castlerock when Gerry McEldowney recalls “being
stopped as a work squad by the RUC on the way to Castlerock became a frequent
event leading up to the killings”.
He said: “We were stopped in the mornings and evenings, however mostly
in the evenings.”

Relatives for Justice Director Mark Thompson, a guest
speaker at the event, during his address heavily examined “the British
state-sponsored policy of collusion”.

Gerry McEldowney said:

“From Thursday 25 March 1993 onwards, the place name of
Castlerock will forever be embedded in the memories of many people in rural
County Antrim and Derry as the location where James McKenna, Jimmy Kelly, Noel
O’Kane and Gerry Dalrymple lost their lives during a week of genocidal attacks
that left six dead, two seriously wounded and many others only narrowly
escaping death or serious injury within a four-day period.

“It was a week of sorrow and pain that also saw the loyalist
murder of Toome man Peter Gallagher (age 45), a father of seven young children
gunned downed when working at Housing Executive properties at Distillery Street
in west Belfast; a week that saw the slaying of young Damien Walsh (age 17) at
the Dairy Farm Shopping Centre in Poleglass.

“Peter Gallagher, Damien Walsh and all the Castlerock
victims were killed with South African weapons. All six were killed with
Browning 9mm pistols. The importation of these weapons was a result of
collusion within the highest levels of the British Intelligence services.

“This will be a very hard week for all the families of the
bereaved given the 20th anniversary. As always, we remember all these good men
who are forever loved by their families, neighbours and communities.”